Putting Podcasts to Work for Continuing Medical Education Credits

Advances in technology in recent years have made it possible for health systems to streamline their efforts on many levels, from evaluating and monitoring patients remotely to sharing medical information among multiple sites in real time. Some medical centers are also creating audio podcasts to educate patients, the general public, and even clinical staff, according to Tim Disa Jr., general manager of DoctorPodcasting System/RadioMD.

For example, one of his company’s clients, UAB Medicine in Birmingham, Alabama, uses podcasts as continuing medical education (CME) credit opportunities for its clinical staff, who can access the programs on demand from their smartphones, tablets, or computers. The podcasts have been well-received since UAB Medicine launched this effort in January 2017.

Podcasts first came onto the scene well over a decade ago, but their popularity has exploded recently. Today, 40 percent of Americans have listened to a podcast in the past month, and 67 million people listen with regularity, according to findings compiled by Edison Research in the spring of 2017.

Yet thus far, few medical centers are following in UAB Medicine’s footsteps by educating physicians in this manner. This soon may change, though, as more organizations learn about the convenience of the format and how effective it can be.